Thursday's letters: Looming disaster

Published: Thursday, November 1, 2012 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, October 31, 2012 at 4:34 p.m.

To the editor: Many recent Times-News letters have lauded the virtues of Obamacare. As a former hospital administrator, I can unequivocally state that if fully enacted, Obamacare would be the greatest unnatural disaster in our country’s history.

Case in point is the lowering of prescription drug costs. For every $500 that Obamacare spends on prescription drugs and preventative services, the law cuts other Medicare spending by $7,500, according to Investor’s Business Daily. Obama says that $768 billion in cuts makes Medicare stronger. Not true!

Medicare Advantage programs would lose more than $156 billion. By 2017, enrollment in Medicare Advantage will be lower by 50 percent, and the average senior will lose $3,714 in health care services with larger losses looming.

Most of the cuts to the Medicare program — $415 billion over the next 10 years — come in the form of “updates to fee-for-service payment rates.” This simply means cuts Medicare will make to hospitals, nursing homes, doctors and other providers of health care services.

Furthermore, Stephen Rattner, a former Barack Obama adviser, has called for health care rationing to prudently slow the exploding cost of Medicare and avoid swamping the federal budget.

Sarah Palin has been vindicated.

Ken Rash

Hendersonville

Just the Joker

To the editor: Some observations after watching three presidential debates:

First debate: President Barack Obama is largely a no-show. Super-Mitt Romney runs so quickly from his Republican Party platform, his vice presidential candidate’s stated positions and his own rhetoric over the past year that he earns the title “faster than a speeding bullet.”

Second debate: The Mitt of Steel, faced with a prepared and articulate president, attempts to leap tall Obamas with a single bound. The attempt fails.

Third debate: On the subject of foreign policy, Mitt, now in his secret identity of Mitt Romney, attempts to prove he’s from another planet concerning international affairs. This is a smashing success.

The obvious conclusion is that, having failed to be Superman, Mitt Romney must be content with being the Joker, or maybe just another snake-oil salesman.

President Obama has earned your vote.

While you’re voting, also consider Hayden Rogers, a lifelong resident of Western North Carolina, for U.S. Congress. Mark Meadows offers only gridlock with no workable solutions. Hayden will work for us in Washington to get things done.

Finally, know this: If you are on Medicaid, Medicare or Social Security, neither Romney nor Meadows is your friend. They think you are the 47 percent.

Gary Gilchrist

Mills River

The people lose

To the editor: So, who wins the debates? Let’s find out. If you are one of the many with an underwater mortgage, you lost. The bank that conned you into a 100 percent-plus financing of inflated real estate won.

If you are trying to sell your home, and your Realtor has told you the market is improving but still is slow, you lost. The reason is simple, Case-Shiller notwithstanding. The real estate market has not cleared. Google “Extend and Pretend.” The banks won again.

If your pension fund invested in “toxic mortgages” marketed as triple-A securities hawked by Wall Street’s finest, you lost. Yes, some of Wall Street’s finest have been brought to trial, but under civil, not criminal, prosecutions. Washington’s mantra is Wall Street actions were unethical, but not illegal. Yet Martha Stewart went to jail for lying about a trade. Wall Street’s still winning.

Your political party doesn’t matter. Yes, one of two candidates will win, but it will be a Pyrrhic victory. At some point, “the people” will connect the dots and recognize the results of the collusion between Washington and Wall Street.

So who wins the debate? J.P. Morgan, Wells Fargo — you know the names.

<p>To the editor: Many recent Times-News letters have lauded the virtues of Obamacare. As a former hospital administrator, I can unequivocally state that if fully enacted, Obamacare would be the greatest unnatural disaster in our country’s history.</p><p>Case in point is the lowering of prescription drug costs. For every $500 that Obamacare spends on prescription drugs and preventative services, the law cuts other Medicare spending by $7,500, according to Investor’s Business Daily. Obama says that $768 billion in cuts makes Medicare stronger. Not true!</p><p>Medicare Advantage programs would lose more than $156 billion. By 2017, enrollment in Medicare Advantage will be lower by 50 percent, and the average senior will lose $3,714 in health care services with larger losses looming.</p><p>Most of the cuts to the Medicare program  $415 billion over the next 10 years  come in the form of updates to fee-for-service payment rates. This simply means cuts Medicare will make to hospitals, nursing homes, doctors and other providers of health care services.</p><p>Furthermore, Stephen Rattner, a former Barack Obama adviser, has called for health care rationing to prudently slow the exploding cost of Medicare and avoid swamping the federal budget.</p><p>Sarah Palin has been vindicated.</p><p><em>Ken Rash</em></p><p><em>Hendersonville</em></p><h3>Just the Joker</h3>
<p>To the editor: Some observations after watching three presidential debates:</p><p>First debate: President Barack Obama is largely a no-show. Super-Mitt Romney runs so quickly from his Republican Party platform, his vice presidential candidate’s stated positions and his own rhetoric over the past year that he earns the title faster than a speeding bullet.</p><p>Second debate: The Mitt of Steel, faced with a prepared and articulate president, attempts to leap tall Obamas with a single bound. The attempt fails.</p><p>Third debate: On the subject of foreign policy, Mitt, now in his secret identity of Mitt Romney, attempts to prove he’s from another planet concerning international affairs. This is a smashing success.</p><p>The obvious conclusion is that, having failed to be Superman, Mitt Romney must be content with being the Joker, or maybe just another snake-oil salesman.</p><p>President Obama has earned your vote.</p><p>While you’re voting, also consider Hayden Rogers, a lifelong resident of Western North Carolina, for U.S. Congress. Mark Meadows offers only gridlock with no workable solutions. Hayden will work for us in Washington to get things done.</p><p>Finally, know this: If you are on Medicaid, Medicare or Social Security, neither Romney nor Meadows is your friend. They think you are the 47 percent.</p><p><em>Gary Gilchrist</em></p><p><em>Mills River</em></p><h3>The people lose</h3>
<p>To the editor: So, who wins the debates? Let’s find out. If you are one of the many with an underwater mortgage, you lost. The bank that conned you into a 100 percent-plus financing of inflated real estate won.</p><p>If you are trying to sell your home, and your Realtor has told you the market is improving but still is slow, you lost. The reason is simple, Case-Shiller notwithstanding. The real estate market has not cleared. Google Extend and Pretend. The banks won again.</p><p>If your pension fund invested in toxic mortgages marketed as triple-A securities hawked by Wall Street’s finest, you lost. Yes, some of Wall Street’s finest have been brought to trial, but under civil, not criminal, prosecutions. Washington’s mantra is Wall Street actions were unethical, but not illegal. Yet Martha Stewart went to jail for lying about a trade. Wall Street’s still winning.</p><p>Your political party doesn’t matter. Yes, one of two candidates will win, but it will be a Pyrrhic victory. At some point, the people will connect the dots and recognize the results of the collusion between Washington and Wall Street.</p><p>So who wins the debate? J.P. Morgan, Wells Fargo  you know the names.</p><p><em>William Fitch</em></p><p><em>Hendersonville</em></p>